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Disabled models, what do you think of this?
Quite possibly. I just dont know though. If I dont get a job or a reply from a tog it could well be that Im not suitable/dont have the right look/theres someone better for the job. Im certainly not going to put everything down to discrimination, but at the same time Im not naive enough to believe that it doesnt ever happen. Sep 29 09 07:11 am Link i didn't mean it in a negative way... but sometimes a disability can be very confronting. Sep 29 09 07:19 am Link First of all, I must say Marianna, you rock! I love your port! Also, I must say that I agree with everyone that has said that a disabled (I actually prefer the term physically or mentally challenged) person can be a model if they just put it in their mind to do it and figure out a way to work around their limitations. Being a paraplegic myself has proved a challenge in building my own photography portfolio, but I cannot let it stop me from doing something that I love, I just have to figure out a way to get the shots that I want. Everyone of you models keep up the good work! And if any of you are ever in my area, look me up for a shoot. Oct 02 09 03:59 am Link tnx for the compliment! also tnx for your post! Oct 03 09 02:29 am Link just wanted to say that reading all these posts has been really interesting-- thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts. Oct 04 09 11:44 am Link you're welcome! Oct 06 09 01:06 pm Link keep your vision alive...continue to express with your heart and soul... ....breaking barriers and stereotypes is not always easy but it can be done. (if martin luther king was alive he would be proud.) continue putting yourself out in the media and letting your voice be heard. i always believed... ''a mind once stretched by a new idea or vision can never return to its original dimensions.'' continue thinking outside of the box... eventually someone will see or get your vision and it can be that one individual who has the tool to take your idea to the next level... here in america... major advertising companies are starting to incorporate disabled models into their campaigns to educate the mass and to also gain more consumers (52 million americans in the u.s. have a disability.) studies recently have shown that 1 out of 50 people are living with paralysis in just three states (los angeles, washington, d.c. and philadelphia. i say... keep shining and continue being a role model. love and light, angela rockwood -namfah Oct 27 09 12:03 am Link thank you very much! Oct 27 09 08:43 am Link Hi, I know of an agency that has just begun representing models with disabilities. It's a really good agency - this is their website: http://www.dkmodels.net/ Thanks Dec 22 09 08:09 am Link I am a disabled model. Dec 24 09 12:09 pm Link Miss Marianna wrote: In the USA, they might be more open minded to using a model who actually use a wheelchair, as opposed to one pretending to. Dec 24 09 02:31 pm Link tnx for the tip! RL_11214 wrote: Jan 14 10 02:41 am Link Wow! I can't believe that I havent actually read this thread any sooner!!! I think its great that the majority of the people on here are giving us (disabled models) a thumbs up! I am the winner of britains missing top model... I absolutely love modelling, I have huge amounts of passion for it, I got loadsa energy, patience, stamina and ability! I have been on a photoshoot that has been a 11 hour day but I just love it that much, I could go on!!! I feel that if you can create an amazing shot that has the 'wow' factor it doesnt matter to me what your difference is! I dont see myself as being disabled, My arm is just part of me, as is my blonde hair, my blue eyes my fearless attitude and my big heart!!! I also dont mind whether my arm is shown in a shot or not, its all about creating the image & whatever works - works! After the show I was swamped with messages from parents of children that were born with a hand missing like me, also other disabled people saying how much an inspiration I am to them and to me, thats what is important, everybody deserves to be happy and at peace in their own body, younger and younger girls are developing eating disorders because they feel in order to be successful or beautiful they need to look a certain way, if a fair representation of ALL MODELS, whether you are tall, skinny, plus size, a model of colour, short, older, or have a disablity was in fashion magazines then just maybe these young girls who are looking for role models and people that they can aspire too would just be happy within themselves and accept their own uniqueness, its all about working with what you do have, not what you dont have!! I am part of a campaign which Im extremely passionate about called models of diversity (pls see facebook group link where you can see more) http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=129403085499 I am the ambassador for disabled models and myself and my management are doing all what we can to get the recognition we all deserve!! So please join our group to support us and get active on the wall! We are all about diversity, the world is a diverse place so thats what we are representing models of colour, older models, plus size models, shorter models and models with disabilities. Also heres a link to my facebook pages where you can see more of my pictures http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelly-Kno … 1?v=photos www.facebook.com/thekellyknox Big love to each & everybody, its all about representing yoursellf! keep up with the positive vibes and follow your dreams....I definitely believe in Happily ever afters..... Love & Light.... Kelly xxxxxxxxx Feb 04 10 09:08 am Link i agree kelly! good post, tnx for adding it! Feb 06 10 12:36 pm Link any new shoots here? Apr 18 10 03:35 am Link This shot is from a wedding, but I thought that you might like it. The man in the wheelchair danced with his wife in his lap for the entire song with the front wheels off of the floor. http://www.modelbrigade.com/index.php?p … _id=360582 Apr 18 10 05:04 am Link Awesome Photos wrote: profile gone... WTF? Apr 18 10 05:25 am Link All Yours Photography wrote: nice! Apr 18 10 05:29 am Link This post inspired me to start building my portfolio! I am a budding model with a disability and looking forward to connecting with everyone on MM! Jul 10 10 06:42 pm Link I will point to these articles. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/artic … reams.html http://www.nytimes.com/1987/06/08/style … types.html Jul 11 10 10:33 am Link this is a free country and anyone can model if they choose to do so! disabled or not so what? there is no guarantee as to the money you'll make or not make just as it's the same with anyone who chooses to model. the fact that you have chosen to work on modeling is extra impressive because it's not easy for anyone and when you have certain obstacles to get through that everyone else doesn't have, it's all the more impressive. there are Many models who have no physical disabilities who can't even accomplish what you already have. Well done! Frank Jul 11 10 11:43 pm Link I know a model who is blind and she can move in front of the camera just as good as anyone else. And I also know a photographer who is in a wheelchair and suffered brain damage from a car accident and now can hardly speak. Disabled or not this industry is driven by passion and that is what keeps us all going no matter what the hurtles. And there are many for everyone. Jul 11 10 11:54 pm Link Michael Bots wrote: thanks! i know debbie! Jul 12 10 02:52 am Link Miss Marianna wrote: Flawless people are not so appealing. If you have a flaw and you make it Jul 12 10 04:35 am Link yeah, i will! Aug 11 10 08:13 am Link Jesse Hughes wrote: I don't agree with that, I've been working as a proffesional model for 3 years now. Sep 03 10 03:07 am Link that's true! Sep 29 10 11:21 am Link well see here now.. Im a disabled model and you cant even tell... Im actually physically dont have a left eye its prosthetic.... it gets in the way sometimes..but hey i work with it!!! Felipe Sep 29 10 11:28 am Link very good! Sep 29 10 11:40 am Link I just read through this thread while having lunch and was amazed and moved by all the caring people that have contributed to it. I just wanted to say that I love you Marianna for doing what makes you happy, and for being yourself. You seem like a beautiful person, and it makes me smile inside knowing there are beautiful people like you sharing the world with me. Good luck in everything you do, Your fan  , Mike Sep 29 10 11:42 am Link oh that's so sweet! *kiss* Sep 29 10 11:44 am Link Kelly Knox wrote: Sep 29 10 11:45 am Link when do you think someone is unique? Sep 29 10 11:53 am Link Marianna, you have a wonderful portfolio. My favorite is the first one in black in white. What an incredible image! And thank you for sharing this topic. Naturally our mainstream media illustrates glamorous individuals in mostly everything we see; however, I donât believe we should just limit ourselves to these typical images. I warmly welcome diversity in the modeling world. For me it is a refreshing perspective. Does an artist start with a finished work of art? Of course not, instead they take an element; add their vision and work to create a masterpiece. As a photographer, in most cases I try to shoot the image in a way that to me exemplifies the maximum amount of beauty, and/or expressions that I feel coming from the model. So I try to find the best that I can in any subject. My hope is that in the future, we will see more disabled models within the industry. Our world needs to see the beauty they too have to offer. To those who face this challenge, I implore you to seek your modeling passions, and enjoy every minute of it! Adam Sep 30 10 03:10 pm Link I haven't had the chance to read all 7 pages but the few I have made it through have brought me to tears. I am a mother of a child with Spina Bifida...she walks with bracing and uses a wheelchair. You all have no idea how much it warms my heart to see the acceptance for the disABLED beauties out there. It gives me even more hope for my daughter! This is my Skylar and Landon...Skylar is 9 now...ignore the goofiness and night clothes lol...they were helping me play with my lights.  Sep 30 10 03:33 pm Link Hi, okay, this is a bit difficult for me to say, but I am afraid I disagree with most people here :s first of all, I have nothing against disabled people (I used to volunteer on camps for disabled children, give them 2 weeks of fun) and I actually saw your work on modellennet and I think it is great that you want to inspire other people, and you are doing a great job. But modelling is so much more than that. and I think that maybe you are "blaming" your disabilty for too many things. did you know that they don't use real pregnant women for pregnancy advertisements? it is not because a pregnant woman is too much to handle, it's just because it is convenient and they are models so they know what they are doing. I'm also pretty sure that when you see a doctor in a commercial, it's not a real doctor, or a mother playing with her child on tv, it's not actually mother and daughter... That's just how it works, it's probably not because people can't handle the fact that you're in a wheelchair. even models who are 5'11 with perfect bodies, 15 years old and that can model like their life depended on it get rejected. I have a feeling that you seme to think that when someone doesn't want to work with you, you immediately assume that they can't handle the fact that you have a disablity. also, you say that there aren't a lot of disabled models where you live. Maybe there's a reason for that? do disabled people "have" to model to prove that they are comfortable with theirselves? There are other ways to make this world a better place. again, it's such a shallow industry, if you want to change the world and how people think, there are probably better ways to do this. I am also a bit confused about what "disabled" means, since I've read a lot of posts that talk about chubby and plus size models as being disabled, and I really do not understand that... I also had a question: when you do shoot, doesn't it bother you that people put you in the box as "the disabled woman"? I read something about disabality fetisjists... I sometimes get the request to do a shoot where I am trying to get into a dress that is too small, or I stuff myself with food, or I have to show my rolls or touch my fat... Okay, I'm bigger, but there is NO WAY that I will ever let someone judge me on size alone. I want to be a model, not a fat girl, there's a huge difference in that. I feel as if you are hiding your disability from time to time. Yes, it is a part of you who are and what you stand for, but that can't possibly be everything you are? are you nothing more than a disability? I have a hard time believing that... again, I want to emphasise that I think it is great that you want to be an inspiration and you are a wonderful person because of this. It is clear that you have fun shooting and you should definitely continue, and I did not want to offend anyone or be rude in anyway with this reply. so can you inspire people, including me, that every person in beautiful in their own way? yes. do I think you can be a model? no. I wish you the best of luck, Marianne Sep 30 10 03:57 pm Link tnx for your post, but i think you have a wrong idea about me and yes, i can be a model, i already am, but not a professional one...and you know what? i don't want to be. Oct 01 10 01:48 am Link Faye Weekly Photography wrote: wonderful children! *big hug* Oct 01 10 01:50 am Link Miss Marianna wrote: well, ehm, okay... You didn't really reply to anything I said or answer any of my questions, but that's okay I guess. I really want to emphasise again that I didn't mean to be rude or anything... Oct 01 10 01:55 am Link Marianne Michaela wrote: i'm sorry for not answering all question, your post was long and i couldn't pick them out. Oct 02 10 02:28 pm Link |
